When I am out and about, I am on the constant look-out for the prettiest « Belle du Jour » that I will try to get in front of my camera. Yet, more and more, I am noticing the boys.

They are hard to miss and if in Europe most men cannot tell the difference between Goyard and Givenchy, many Chinese men do, with more or less style.

China is currently captivating the attention of all the luxury groups but as it turns out, the most important fashion luxury client here is a HE. The first hint is when you enter any leading fashion multi-brand store in Beijing or Shanghai. From established fashion luxury boutiques like Lane Crawford or Joyce to upcoming style leaders like S.T.A.R.S. or Fei Space, the retail floor is clearly devoted quite a lot of space to various menswear collections.

When one starts looking at the numbers they are staggering. They represent billions of dollars and are constantly climbing. Vinay Dixit, an expert from McKinsey estimates that Chinese men spend about 61% more than chinese women on luxury goods. It is further estimated that China represents about 40% of global menswear market. In China 45% of the Small Leather Good are purchased by men, against less than 5% in the rest of the world. This is actually a phenomenon I wrote about last year.

So while Berluti is opening its first « maison » in Shanghai, Hugo Boss is busy repositioning its brand thanks to the timeless charm of its new ambassador Chow Yun Fat (Billionnaires are now buying by dozens all the outfits he wore in the ad campaign), tailoring business are booming and Burberry is congratulating itself on double digit growth in this globally morose economy while Dunhill is expanding all over mainland.

But more extraordinary growth is yet to be seen. Tomorrow Sir Paul Smith is opening in person his first Beijing store, but I met last week at a party at the British embassy for ‘QE II Birthday’ a young man in charge of developing British menswear excellence awareness in China and he was baffled by this market. He confessed that almost none of the young fashion-loving Chinese men knew of Savile Row and Jermyn Street… But that they all coveted Milan and Paris.